The future of Italian cycling is not looking good. There have been optimistic signs but the country is still in a state of emergency, with Lampre-Merida being the only Italian WorldTour team and the racing calendar having been drastically reduced. The situation will have an impact on the distribution of wild cards for the Giro d’Italia.

Four Italian teams took part in this year’s race and are again in the running for what is likely to be just four spots if Dimension Data makes it into the WorldTour as an 18th team. Angelo Citracca’s Southeast team won the Coppa Italia which usually guarantees a spot in the Giro. Just behind the former Vini Fantini team, we find Roberto Reverberi’s Bardiani team which won a stage with Nicola Boem in 2015 and is doing a lot to develop Italian talents. They are up Francesco Pelosi’s Nippo-Vini Fantini team who had a good first season at the pro continental level. Gianni Savio’s Androni team is the final contender and his riders have always been key protagonists and very aggressive in the most important Italian race.

To find out more about the selection process, Tuttobiciweb spoke to race director Mauro Vegni.

“We make big choices every day because you have to make decisions constantly to run a large and complex machine like the Giro,” he said. “But I'd like to say one thing: I, we, do not exclude anyone. We make choices. Today we may look at a project, a city for a stage or a team, but we do not exclude the others. They are only postponed. We never close the door to anyone.

"It's still early to say [which teams will be selected]. We are getting so many requests for participation from many international teams and this thing can only please us. We will carefully evaluate the many files that we have received and look at everything: technical value, territorial importance, communicational weight of each team and its riders. If there will be no delays from the UCI, we will announce the names of the four teams in the middle of January.”

Vegni knows that he has a certain obligation to Italian cycling.

"If we look at the weight of our teams, I cannot say that we saw the greatest exploits,” he said. “But I have a moral and formal obligation to help our movement. That said, only Southeast who won the Coppa Italia, can be said to be sure to be at the start of the Giro.”

However, Vegni underlines that there will be no gifts even though he doesn’t rule out the possibility of selecting four Italian teams.

“But it is not fair to have a concept of ‘Italian teams have the right to do the Giro’. I cannot guarantee any team to be at the Giro d’Italia. It is a concept I cannot accept. I repeat: I want to help, but I cannot give gifts to anyone. And now it is clear that everyone has to get involved and set up competitive teams. You will do the Giro if you have a good team and good riders. "

In recent years, the Giro has done a lot to globalize itself.

"In cycling and in sport everything is going in this direction,” Vegni said. “We as a company must also think of our race. It is the project of international growth that the Giro should definitely follow and pursue. Bora, for example, might open up the German market in which we are very interested. To clarify this, I propose a paradox: if the team of Bradley Wiggins (which is now Continental and so not eligible to ride, ed.) ever decided to race the Giro, we would be very interested. In the media I would gain a lot. This is the way in which my staff and I are operating.”

Vegni admits that the situation in Italy is difficult.

“Perhaps because both the organization and the sport thought to be untouchable, but it is not,” he said. “And then the 91 law did not facilitate the development of our sport but penalized it exceedingly. A ten million euro investment abroad is worth thirty percent more than here. There is a legislative work to do, not only for cycling but sport in general. Otherwise it will only get harder.”